HB: Cameron Bruce (Melbourne), Troy Chaplin (Port Adelaide), Courtenay Dempsey (Essendon)
C: Kade Simpson (Carlton), Jobe Watson (Essendon), Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs)
HF: Alan Didak (Collingwood), Justin Westhoff (Port Adelaide), Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans)
F: Brad Green (Melbourne), Lance Franklin (Hawthorn), Gary Ablett (Geelong)
FOLL: Ben Hudson (Western Bulldogs), Joel Selwood (Geelong), Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
I/C: Dom Cassisi (Port Adelaide), Andrew Swallow (North Melbourne), Dane Swan (Collingwood), Colin Sylvia (Melbourne)
BACKS
Alipate Carlile (Port Adelaide) - The man known as “Bobby” kept Crows match winner Kurt Tippett to just five disposals and two marks. Goals were hard to come by in the Showdown at AAMI Stadium, and while Carlile didn't rack up the footy himself, his stopping job on K-Tip went a long way to ensuring the Power got the choccies.
Brian Lake (Western Bulldogs) - Matthew Scarlett and Simon Prestigiacomo each performed super stopping roles at the weekend, but big Brian gets the nod again due to his versatility. He started forward and slotted a couple of goals before heading back to his domain where he patrolled things. He later floated forward to bounce through a third goal, just for good measure. Not bad for a full back.
Jarrod Harbrow (Western Bulldogs) - A more-permanent move to the midfield looks a sure thing for this rebounding maestro after Harbrow again racked up possessions for the Bulldogs. He dodged and weaved his way around opponents for 32 disposals, found space for 11 marks and was generally creative with the ball in his hands.
HALF-BACKS
Cameron Bruce (Melbourne) - Bruce looked a little off the pace earlier in the year but there’s no substitute for class. With skipper James McDonald and Brent Moloney out, the Dees’ on-field leaders stood up. Bruce not only gathered 23 touches across half back but stopped Ryan O’Keefe in his tracks. The Swan had just 10 touches and was kept scoreless as Bruce blanketed him superbly.
Troy Chaplin (Port Adelaide) - Chaplin has played the loose-man role for a while now, and he’s become very, very good at it if opposition teams allow him the space. The Power defender made a nuisance of himself as he cut off numerous Crow attacks, taking 11 marks and gathering 26 touches.
Courtenay Dempsey (Essendon) - Dempsey is genuinely exciting when he gets the footy. At just 22 and with years ahead of him in the red and black, he is among the reasons Bomber fans have hope going forward. The dashing defender got it 24 times against North Melbourne (nine contested), drove it inside 50 four times and laid four tackles in a really promising display.
CENTRES
Kade Simpson (Carlton) - Shaun Grigg helped keep the Blues in it early, but Simpson led the charge after the break. The hard-runner had been down in recent weeks as oppositions turned their attention to him, but the Eagles were powerless to stop his drive as he won 33 possessions (12 contested), used his penetrating left boot well and assisted in four Blues goals.
Jobe Watson (Essendon) - The captain needed a big one after a couple of subdued weeks, and he delivered big time against the Kangas. Despite battling a calf problem earlier in the week, Watson was best afield against North as he won 17 contested possessions, finished with a game-high 38, had nine clearances and booted two important goals.
Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs) - If this guy can have a big finals series it might just be the difference for the Doggies. He doesn’t rack up the numbers of Boyd, Cooney or Cross - to the relief of opposition teams - but gee you notice when he gets it. He gathered 24 against Freo, used it at 88 per cent efficiency and booted three to put his stamp on the contest.
HALF-FORWARDS
Alan Didak (Collingwood) - Didak added the extra class on the field against the Tigers. He used the ball better than anyone and booted three lovely goals, even hitting the dance floor after one of them. He finished with 28 touches, had three inside 50s and three clearances and, ominously, looks to be nearing his best form.
Justin Westhoff (Port Adelaide) - Rarely can 14 touches mean so much. Westhoff may look as though he’d be better suited alongside Tom Hanks on that island. But give him a Sherrin, instead of Wilson, and he can be lethal as he was against the Crows on Sunday. He worked hard for his touches (eight contested possessions) but, most tellingly, booted four big goals to help land the killer blow.
Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans) - Goodes’ presence in the team illustrates just how good he was in a side that was obliterated. The dual Brownlow medallist has run into a purple patch, winning plenty of footy around the stoppages but also pushing forward against the Dees to boot 4.2.
FORWARDS
Brad Green (Melbourne) - Green had 10 kicks and booted 5.3 - his contribution, especially early, helping set up the Demons’ 73-point win over the Swans. The Melbourne forward has now booted 42 goals this season to further stake his claim for an All-Australian jumper.
Lance Franklin (Hawthorn) - It’s amazing the impact one player can have on a side. Fans saw bad Buddy on Friday night as he gave away a handful of 50m penalties, but the Hawks wouldn’t have taken any points from the Saints clash had the big forward not been there. His 5.3 was huge for Hawthorn, with the star also laying five tackles.
Gary Ablett (Geelong) - Ablett in attack is almost as dangerous as the champion midfielder being in the middle. He spent time in both parts of the ground on Saturday against the Brisbane Lions, and 26 touches and five goals was a more-than-handy result. Is Bomber planning for the possibility of life-after-Gazza, or will the Brownlow medallist be the go-to man up forward when the business end rolls around?
FOLLOWERS
Ben Hudson (Western Bulldogs) - Hudson’s duel with the best ruckman in the competition loomed as pivotal for the Dogs’ hopes of grabbing fourth spot on Sunday. His work early - and throughout the match - against Fremantle’s Aaron Sandilands ensured the Dogs were never going to be troubled. Hudson had 13 touches and four tackles, but Sandilands had just eight - four of which were clangers.
Joel Selwood (Geelong) - Selwood tipped the 40-possession mark for just the second time in his career when he dominated the Lions on Saturday. The Cats hard nut finished with 41 disposals, laid 10 tackles, had seven inside 50s and directly assisted in seven goals. The young gun is in a rich vein of form.
Luke Hodge (Hawthorn) - Of all the mids on the park on Friday night, Hodge stood out head and shoulders above any other. He’d run into a pack and come out with the ball in hand. He didn’t seem to lose his feet, and his super underground handballs regularly found the mark. Finished with 33 touches - 19 of which were contested.
INTERCHANGE
Dom Cassisi (Port Adelaide) - In what will be the biggest game the Power plays for the year, skipper Dom Cassisi led with distinction. It was tough and tight, the type of footy the unfashionable captain thrives in. He had 28 touches (16 contested), laid 12 tackles and had five clearances. But it was his willingness to continually put his body on the line that was most important.
Andrew Swallow (North Melbourne) - While Essendon’s Jobe Watson led his team brilliantly, Swallow was every bit as good for the Kangas. The Dons got the jump on North, but Swallow’s ball-winning efforts helped arrest the momentum. North’s best in-and-under player finished with 27 possessions, kicked 2.3 and laid a rugby league-like 15 tackles.
Dane Swan (Collingwood) - Swan didn’t use the ball as well as he has in recent weeks, but his dominance early was largely responsible in setting up the Pies’ big half time lead. He had 11 at the first break and had picked Ben Cousins’ pocket for a goal. He finished with 37 - 16 contested - and six inside 50s to continue his phenomenal year.
Colin Sylvia (Melbourne) - Sylvia played in the guts against the Swannies and showed just what a player he will be for Dean Bailey in the coming seasons. He’s still only 24 and starting to enter his prime. Against Sydney, Sylvia had a game-high 13 contested possessions as he finished with 28 touches, nine marks and seven tackles. He used his body superbly around the stoppages to set up team mates in better positions and get the Dees rolling.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
